Richard Ruane - Vocals, guitar, mandolin, banjo and ukelele.
Beth Duquette - Vocals (and maybe some banjo).
Mitch Barron - Basses (acoustic and electric) and vocals.
Influences
Richard Thompson, Dave Carter, Bob Marley, Anais Mitchell, John Martyn, Fairport Convention, Andy Irvine, Paul Brady, Louis Armstrong, Eliza Gilkyson, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, The Story, Sam Phillips, Tim O’Brien, Frank Sinatra, Cake, Kate Wolf, Pete Seeger, Louise Taylor, Patty Griffin, Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem, Bruce Cockburn, Gillian Welch, Incredible String Band, Joe Boyd, Dr. Strangely Strange, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Nick Drake, Ferron, Paolo Conti, Archie Fisher, Ry Cooder, Del McCoury Band, The Wilders, Leonard Cohen, ani difranco, Kinks, Beatles, k.d. lang, John Roberts and Tony Barrand, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Talking Heads, Shawn Colvin, Dust Poets, Andrew Calhoun, Michael Chorney, Pentangle, Pete Sutherland, Ilene Weiss, William Bell, Townes Van Zandt, Van Morrison, Patti Casey, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, my great aunts Helen and Annette Smiles, chuck e. costa, Harry Manx, Rachel Bissex, Glenn Gould, J.S. Bach, Mildred Bailey, my father’s whistling, Claudia Schmidt, Steeleye Span, Sandy Denny, Jonathan Richman
Sounds Like
Some people have mentioned Richard Shindell, Richard Thompson, John Gorka, David Wilcox, Slaid Cleaves (though those are also solo folks and we are a band with harmonies), as well as Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, the Beatles, Ian and Sylvia and even the Talking Heads. So, try mixing all that together in your head and then give us a listen. Let us know what you think
Bread and Bones is an acoustic folk trio performing music that has been described as well-crafted, understated, soulful, solid, rootsy, haunting and intelligently infectious. The members of Bread and Bones are Richard Ruane, Beth Duquette and Mitch Barron. Richard is the primary songwriter and has been an award winner or finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition, the Great Waters Folk Festival Songwriter Contest, the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest (sponsored by the Songwriters Association of Washington), the Plowshares Coffeehouse Singer-Songwriter Competition and the SolarFest Songwriter Showcase.
In performance, Richard's original music is mixed with traditional songs and even some jazz standards. Beth’s expressive alto voice blends beautifully with Richard’s warm baritone. Richard plays guitar, mandolin, banjo and the ukulele. Mitch Barron adds his wonderful presence on double bass, fretless electric and vocals.
Richard's vocal and/or writing style has been compared to Richard Shindell, Richard Thompson, John Gorka and (what baritone folkie hasn't heard this comparison) James Taylor.
Richard, Beth and Mitch have been in a large number of different groups over the years, including "Feast or Famine", "Sundog", "The Hibernators", "Wild Branch", "The Rebecca Padula Band", "The Michele Fay Band" and "Womensing." Beth and Richard are also actively involved in presenting music in Vermont. Both Richard and Beth are on the board of directors and the selection committees for the Ripton Community Coffee House and the Middlebury Festival on the Green.
Between them they have shared the stage with Phish, Pete Seeger, Brooks Williams, Lynn Miles, Louise Taylor, Robin Williamson, Slaid Cleaves, Jennifer Kimball, Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen as well as Rachel Bissex.
So glad to meet you, Beth, at BBakery last week! Hope to see you again, and maybe something will work out for 2009. Have fun with your gigs this summer! Joy and Tom
You certainly seem like folks I would like. I definitely like your music! Thanks for counting me among your MySpace friends. Feel free to visit me online at www. deanphelpsmusic. com.
Hey you guys! We're in Memphis now; should be back in VT by mid-March. Looking forward to seeing you this summer if not before. Glad to hear you liked the CD! With love from Hungrytown.
hey! thanks for letting myspace into yourspace!! been wanting to catch you guys... wouldn't cha know... i'll be gone to Italia on March 14... but... someday! looking forward to it...
Dear Richard, thanks for the note, great job with the photo essay of NERFA. I didn't realize our pathetic juggling was going to be immortalized! Let me know if you all need a place to crash in NJ. Best wishes, Kathy
Thanks for the add and comment. Have you ever jammed with our friends and sometime band members, Yannig Tanguy and Jeremy Clifford, at Middlebury? Have a look at our sister page, the Saratoga pan celtic session, to see if you might want to come over here once in a while to play some tunes, sing some songs...
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